Let Love In
by E. Limberg
Summary: Sequel to Anyway. MS. Stella has trouble moving on with Mac after her incident with Frankie.


**Let Love In**

"_You wait, wanting this world_

_To let you in_

_And you stand there_

_A frozen light_

_In dark and empty streets_

_You smiles, hiding behind_

_A god-given face_

_But I know you're so much more_

_Everything they ignore_

_Is all that I need to see"_

Mac cups Stella's cheek and kisses her deeply. He feels a hand grip tightly on his shoulder and pulls back. "Everything okay, Stel?"

She wants to say everything is fine but knows he'd see through the lie soon. Instead, she shakes her head. "No. I'm okay with us being together; it's just, when we try to get more intimate, I tense up and think of… of Frankie."

"I'll slow down," he says, backing away a little.

"You're fine, Mac. It's me who's messing this up."

"This isn't your fault. You went through an awful event last spring; no one blames you for being uncertain and cautious, least of all me. You were hurt badly by him. Take all the time you need; I can wait."

"I'm sorry for - "

"Don't be sorry for anything in this relationship right now," he cuts her off.

A small smile spreads across her face, "Thanks for understanding, Mac. I love you."

"I don't need anything more than this until you're ready. No rushing through your problems just for me."

Stella hugs Mac, "Not very many men would say that."

"Most men just want to sleep with a woman. They don't care how she feels as long as they get what they want."

"Frankie was kind of like that, but he wasn't forcing me when I wasn't ready. I had nothing I needed to face before… sleeping with him."

"Let's grab something to eat and go to my place," he pulls her toward the elevator.

"Sure."

"I love you, Stella. Nothing could ever change that," Mac kisses her cheek and puts an arm around her waist.

"I love you too," she rests her head on his shoulder as they walk through the parking garage.

"I know you do, whether you can express it or not."

"Why can't every man be like you, Mac?"

"_You're the only I ever believed in_

_The answer that could never be found_

_The moment you decided to let love in_

_Now I'm banging on the door of an angel_

_The end of fear is where we begin_

_The moment we decided to let love in"_

Stella sits in the layout room, pictures spread out over the table. She couldn't find anything new in any of the pictures, and her anger was growing every minute.

"Did you find - ?" Mac begins, standing next to her.

"No," she yells.

"Whoa, Stel, calm down. We'll find this guy somehow."

"Yeah, after he kills another woman."

"Take a break from this. It's getting to you."

"I just don't get it," she says sadly. "Why do these men abuse their girlfriends? And why don't these women try to get help?"

"I don't know, Stella. I wish I did, but I haven't a clue. But I'll make you a promise."

"And what is that?" she takes his hand in hers.

"No one will ever abuse you again. I won't let it happen."

"Thanks for protecting me, Mac," she hugs him.

He rubs her back softly, letting her cry into his shoulder. "I've got you. Let it out."

Danny walks in, startled at the sight. "Um… Mac, we've got a suspect. Hawkes and Flack went to pick him up."

"Thanks, Danny."

"Is she… is she okay?" he asks quietly.

Mac nods, "Find me when they get him here."

"Sure, boss," Danny leaves.

"I want to talk to him."

"What?"

"The killer, Mac. Can I talk to him?" Stella lifts her head.

"I'm not positive that's such a good idea," he says slowly.

"Please? I'll be careful, and there will be a uniform in there in case something goes wrong."

"_I wish_

_Wishing for you to find your way_

_And I'll hold on for all you need_

_That's all we need to say_

_I'll take my chances while_

_You take your time with_

_This game you play_

_But I can't control your soul_

_You need to let me know_

_You leaving or you gonna stay"_

"Why'd you kill her?" Stella enters the interrogation room, throwing a picture of the victim on the table in front of him.

"I didn't kill her."

"Then why did we find your sperm inside her?"

"I slept with her. So?"

"After you killed her." She watches him closely. "Why did you hit her?"

"I didn't touch her," he protests.

"But you just said you slept with her, contradicting your answer."

"Okay, maybe I did hit her."

"Why?"

"She didn't do what I told her to so I punished her."

"Let me get this straight: she was your slave?" Stella stares at him angrily.

"More or less," he shrugs.

"What did she do to deserve to be killed?" she yells.

"She refused to sleep with me and threatened to tell the police."

"Women are not slaves. We are just as equal to men."

"Not in this world," he rolls his eyes.

"If you didn't need us for sex, you'd kill us all. That's all men ever think about!" she shouts in rage. "Does it please you to hit a woman?"

He stands when she turns her back. "Maybe it does."

She turns to face him, walking right up to him. "You sick - "

His fist connects with her shoulder. "I need to teach you a few lessons, Detective."

Mac steps in, stopping the man from hitting her again. "Okay?"

Stella nods, "I'll be fine. Lock him up."

"Come with me."

"_You're the only I ever believed in_

_The answer that could never be found_

_The moment you decided to let love in_

_Now I'm banging on the door of an angel_

_The end of fear is where we begin_

_The moment we decided to let love in"_

"What do you think they're doing in there?" Flack asks, all of them watching his office from the break room.

Mac and Stella went into his office half an hour ago and drew the blinds. No one knew what they were doing.

"He's probably got her pinned to his desk, laying on top of her," Danny smiles.

"Danny Messer!" Lindsay yells. "How can you think of that?"

"It's easy."

"It's disgusting to think of them that way."

**MS**

Mac gently unbuttons her sweater and peels it back from her shoulder. He touches the bruise already there, and she pulls away. "Sorry. I don't think your collarbone is broken."

Stella buttons her shirt back up. "It still hurts."

"You were brave, Stella. I admire your courage after what you've gone through."

"It was nothing."

"You brighten my days."

"They're probably all sitting outside, trying to figure out what we're doing."

"Most likely," he helps her up.

They leave his office, greeted by the team as anticipated.

"You two weren't… doing anything, were you?" Lindsay asks.

"Just talking."

"Mac, why do you have your arms around her?" Sheldon points.

"We're… dating," Mac explains.

"What?" their jaws drop.

"I knew it," Danny smiles.

Mac and Stella look at each other, wondering what rumors are being spread.

"_There's nothing we can do about_

_The things we have to do without_

_The only way to feel again_

_Is let love in"_

Mac knocks on her door that evening, overnight bag in his hand. It takes her a few minutes to answer, making him worry.

"Sorry, I was getting dressed for bed. Thanks for coming over," Stella lets him in.

"No problem. How's the shoulder?"

"Black and blue and painful."

"Hopefully it'll only hurt for a few days."

"Did you eat?" she asks.

"Few hours ago. Have snack food?"

"Ice cream," she opens the freezer.

"I'll get it. You do pretty well by yourself with that cast on," he takes the container from her and dishes two bowls. "Toppings?"

"Chocolate sauce is in the fridge." Stella watches him and yawns.

"After snack, you're going to bed. It was a long day," he orders.

She shakes her head at him, "I'm lucky to have you."

They sit down on the couch to enjoy their dessert. Mac laughs as she tries to get a spoonful of ice cream from her bowl; she couldn't hold the bowl still, and it kept moving away from her. She flashes him a look of anger.

"Here," he holds the bowl for her after he finishes his ice cream.

She moves onto his lap when she is done, resting her head on his shoulder, arms around him. "Good night."

"We are not sleeping on the couch tonight, sleepyhead."

"But I'm perfectly comfortable right here," she smiles.

"Oh, alright," he gives in.

"You gave in too easily. What're you going to do?"

"Nothing."

"You're up to something. What?" She kisses him, letting him deepen it.

Mac pulls back first, "I think that was the longest kiss we've had." He picks her up, "Bed time."

"No, I'm not ready for that yet," Stella's eyes go wide.

"I meant you're going to sleep now because you're tired."

"_There's nothing we can do about_

_The things we have to live without_

_The only way to see again_

_Is let love in"_

The next two months pass quickly; they spent almost every night together, just talking to each other before falling asleep.

Mac gets tied up at work one evening and comes home late. Upon entering the bedroom, he finds Stella in his bed, asleep. Smiling to himself, he kisses her cheek.

"Save anyone today, superhero?" she whispers, opening her eyes.

"No. We're still stuck," he chuckles at what she called him.

"You'll get him tomorrow."

He climbs into the bed next to her. She wraps her arms around him. "I'm glad you got your cast off."

"Why?"

"I don't get scratched anymore when you hug me."

"I got it off a month ago, Mac."

"How was your day?"

"Boring. Why couldn't I have worked with you? At least your victim was killed in a unique way," Stella complains.

"Stabbed with a chainsaw. Definitely different, but impossible to solve."

"You just need a break, to go back with a fresh mind."

Mac kisses her temple, "Hopefully you're right."

"Of course I'm right."

"Why don't you go back to sleep?" he suggests, wanting to sleep himself. "You were sound asleep five minutes ago."

"What'd you wake me up for?"

"I didn't really mean to. I kind of wish I hadn't."

"Every night we spend together, my dreams are fine. But when you're not with me, I dream of him. Like tonight, before you woke me up, Frankie was holding the knife in my face."

"I've got you now; don't be afraid."

"With you around, I'm never afraid," she whispers. Stella kisses him, letting her lips linger over his. "I love you, Mac."

"_You're the only I ever believed in_

_The answer that could never be found_

_The moment you decided to let love in_

_Now I'm banging on the door of an angel_

_The end of fear is where we begin_

_The moment we decided to let love in"_

"Where'd the dog come from?" Mac asks, opening his apartment door. A Golden Retriever sniffs his hand before jumping up, wanting to be petted.

"Happy Valentine's Day!" Stella stands in the kitchen doorway, watching him.

"Thank you, Stel," he hugs her. "I've always wanted a dog."

"So you told me. Dinner's ready. And I loved the flowers."

"Where'd you put them?" he asks, not seeing them anywhere.

"I left them on my desk so I'm always reminded of you."

After they finish eating, Mac pulls a box out of him pocket. "Happy Valentine's Day, Stella."

Inside is a necklace with a diamond heart pendant. On the back, he had 'S+M' inscribed. "Oh my God, Mac," she gasps. "Thank you."

Gently he puts it on her. "Beautiful."

They spend the next two hours curled up on the couch together, watching a romance movie she found on TV. When it finishes, he tells her to go to the bedroom. She looks at him curiously but doesn't question him; she knows he wouldn't force her to do anything she wasn't ready for.

A few minutes later, he joins her, a box in one hand and the rest of the bottle of champagne from dinner in the other. He places them on the nightstand and turns to leave again, "Don't touch the box."

Stella frowns and tries to resist getting up to see what is in the box.

Luckily Mac doesn't take long to return with glasses. He pours them each a glass of champagne and sits down next to her.

She takes a sip, "You're killing me. What's in the box?" He hands it to her. Opening it, she smiles. "I never knew you were so romantic, Mac. Chocolate covered strawberries."

He picks up a strawberry and holds it to her mouth. She takes a bite before feeding him a strawberry. They continue to feed each other the strawberries until the box is empty.

Stella leans over to kiss him, putting her arms around his neck. Mac's arms sneak around her waist, and he rolls over, pinning her to the bed. She doesn't object when his tongue enters her mouth. Her hands move to the buttons on his shirt and undo them, sliding it off.

His lips separate from hers, giving her time to stop him. As he kisses her shoulder, she takes his pants off. "Stella," Mac pauses, "why am I the only one undressed?"

She smiles, "You're more patient than I am."

He moves off of her and sits up. She does the same. "Are you okay with this?"

She nods, letting him pull her sweater over her head.

"You're ready to move on?"

Again she nods, and he takes her pants off her legs.

"Last chance to turn back. Tell me now or hold your peace."

"I'm ready," Stella kisses him passionately.

"I love you," Mac whispers into her ear.

"I love you too."

"_The moment we decided to let love in_

_The moment we decided to let love in"_

**A/N: GooGoo Dolls. Hope you all have a good Valentine's Day tomorrow. I can't wait I get home from school tomorrow. Please review.**


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